LASHKARGAH (PAN): Residents brought the body of an elderly man, who was allegedly killed by foreign troops, to Helmands provincial capital on Thursday and laid the corpse in front of the governor's office as a mark of protest.
The protestors allege the 65-year-old man, Marjan, was killed by NATO troops in the Bolan area of Lashkargah on Wednesday afternoon.
However, NATO's media office in Kabul said coalition forces were attacked by insurgents with small arms just outside Lashkargah. ISAF forces gained positive identification of the enemy and returned small arms fire. "Upon assessment of the site after the attack, it was determined that a local man was killed in the crossfire," the alliance said in a statement.
"Coalition forces deeply regret this unfortunate loss of life and express our sincerest apologies to the family," it added.
Nearly 100 people gathered in front of the governor's office, demanding an investigation into the killing.
One of the protestors, Haji Wazir Muhammad, a tribal elder, who was sitting with the body, said foreign troops opened fire on villagers, killing Marjan.
Marjan, who worked as irrigation water distributor in the village, was killed while performing abolition before prayers, he said.
"Despite the presence of police checkposts in our area, foreign troops frequently come here and search our houses," said another resident, Muhammad Omar, who accused foreigners of searching women in the presence of their male relatives.
He said local forces should be the ones to search their houses.
Another resident, Ghulam Sarwar, said Taliban militants freely move in the area on motorcycles, plant roadside bombs and carry out their attacks in broad daylight, but foreign troops do not act against them. "Foreigners only target civilians," he said.
The angry protestors also chanted slogans against foreign troops.
The spokesman for the governor, Muhammad Daud Ahmadi, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation had been opened.
He said the deputy governor Abussatar Mirzakwal had talked to representatives of the residents and had condemned the killing.
Ahmadi said the governor had asked foreign troops to investigate the incident.
There was no word from foreign troops stationed in the province.
On Friday, 52 civilians were killed by a mortar shell in Sangin district of Helmand.
The Afghan Cabinet and residents of Sangin say foreign troops fired the shell, a claim NATO denies.
ma/cas